''When a Woman Sins'' is a 1918 American silent

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by

J. Gordon Edwards Gordon Edwards may refer to: * Gordon Edwards (scientist) (born 1940), Canadian scientist and nuclear consultant * Gordon Edwards (cricketer) (born 1947), British cricketer and engineer * Gordon Cameron Edwards (1866–1946), Canadian politician * ...

and starring

Theda Bara Theda Bara ( ; born Theodosia Burr Goodman; July 29, 1885 – April 7, 1955) was an American silent film and stage actress. Bara was one of the more popular actresses of the silent era and one of cinema's early sex symbols. Her femme fatal ...

Plot

As described in a

film magazine Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...

, nurse Lilian Marchard (Bara) is engaged by Mortimer West (Swickard), an old rogue who is dangerously ill. She meets his son Michael (Roscoe), a divinity student, and his earnestness ignites a spark of love within her. Michael professes his ardent love for her in the garden, and that night, coming upon her in Mortimer's bedroom, she misconstrues the situation and becomes angry. The old man dies and Dr. Stone orders her from the house. The years pass and Lilian becomes Poppea, a notorious charmer and dancer of the town. Among her many lovers is Reggie West, Michael's cousin. Michael goes to Poppea to ask her to give Reggie up for his mother's sake, and Reggie, waiting without, shoots himself. Poppea hosts a dinner for several wealthy men and just as she is about to auction herself off to the highest bidder, she receives a bible and lily from Michael. She gives up her fast friends and returns to the slums to minister to the sick, finally winning Michael's love.

Cast

as Lilian Marchard / Poppea *

Josef Swickard Josef Swickard (June 26, 1866 – March 1, 1940) was a Prussian-born American stage and screen character actor, who had toured with stock companies in Europe, South Africa, and South America. Career Swickard emigrated to the United States from ...

as Mortimer West *

Albert Roscoe Alan Roscoe (born John Albert Rascoe; August 23, 1888 – March 8, 1933) was an American film actor of the silent film, silent and Sound film, early talking film eras. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1915 and 1933. Roscoe was bo ...

as Michael West * Alfred Fremont as Augustus Van Brooks * Jack Rollens as Reggie West *

Genevieve Blinn Genevieve Clothilde Blinn (née Nannery; June 12, 1874 – July 20, 1956) was a Canadian actress who appeared on stage and in Hollywood silent motion pictures. She was a native of New Brunswick, Canada. Family Genevieve Nannery was the last mem ...

as Mrs. West * Ogden Crane as Dr. Stone

Reception

Like many American films of the time, ''When a Woman Sins'' was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. For example, the Chicago Board of Censors required cuts, in Reel 1, of pictures of a young woman in pajamas, Reel 2, old man kissing nurse on shoulder, Reel 5, the intertitle "I am for sale to the highest bidder", and to insert a new intertitle to the effect that the woman will marry the man who bids the most.

Preservation status

''When a Woman Sins'' is now considered to be a

lost film A lost film is a feature film, feature or short film in which the original negative or copies are not known to exist in any studio archive, private collection, or public archive. Films can be wholly or partially lost for a number of reasons. ...

References

External links